Moment Dom Perrottet’s deputy premier brushes off questions about mask mandates, Kerry Chant

A breakfast television interview with the deputy premier of New South Wales turned awkward when he refused to directly answer a question about the state’s latest mask mandate.

Premier Dominic Perrottet’s second-in-charge, Paul Toole, was grilled on the Today Show about how long the government had been advised to reintroduce a mask mandate by Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant in the wake of the Omicron variant. 

‘Look, I have to say that Kerry Chant has been an amazing woman. She has provided a lot of advice,’ Mr Toole responded.

‘There is a lot of different advice that comes through the year and as part of the cabinet, as part of the committee that meets regularly with Kerry Chant, we have adopted some of those settings and that is why you can see the mandating of masks have come back in today.’

Mr Toole’s non-answer was interrupted by stand-in host Clint Stanaway asking again how long before yesterday’s decision Dr Chant had advised the government to take the step.

‘Look, the advice was from Kerry Chant, obviously about bringing the masks back and that is exactly how we have responded in relation to bringing masks back in relation to indoor settings,’ he replied.

‘Had she been advising you to do that a few days before you actually did it?’ fellow host Jayne Azzopardi asked once more.

Mr O’Toole replied; ‘I know there is different advice that is given and I have to say, a lot of people were taking personal responsibility. 

‘They were wearing masks already but what we have done is made sure that it is common across the community now so that anybody that is in an indoor setting is going to be wearing a mask.’

Masks are on again mandated in indoor settings in NSW, except at private homes, until January 27. Pictured: Pedestrians move through Pitt Street Mall while Christmas shopping

Mr Perrottet’s government was forced to backflip yesterday, reintroducing masks in indoor settings, density limits and and QR code check-ins, in the face of a surge in Covid cases to 5,715 yesterday in the state. 

Hospitality venues will have a one person per two square metres rule imposed from December 27 until January 27.

Masks indoors except at private homes will also be mandated until January 27.  

Just days earlier Mr Perrottet had said he would not be reintroducing such measures as a mask mandate, having lifted most Covid restrictions in the lead-up to Christmas. 

Dr Chant had been urging the government to reimpose a mask mandate indoors for a number of weeks as the Omicron variant caused a spike in new cases.

At a press conference on December 15 where Mr Perrottet announced the requirement to wear masks was being dropped in most settings, Dr Chant appeared to openly disagree with the decision.  

‘That’s a matter for government in setting those mandates and all I’m saying is from a public health position, I am strongly recommending we keep masks and I’m asking the community to do so,’ she said.

‘It’s a very tiny act and you’re actually protecting yourself but more importantly you’re protecting others.’

Masked customers seen at Sydney Fish Markets, Pyrmont on Christmas Eve

Dr Chant said yesterday that 80 per cent of cases in NSW were of the more infectious Omicron strain. Pictured: People queue at the St Vincent’s Bondi Beach Covid-19 drive-through testing clinic

Mr Perrottet had defended his decision to drop the widespread mandate as an act of ‘balance’.   

‘As we’re heading into this Christmas period … there’s no doubt shopping centres will be busier so we just say please take personal responsibility,’ the premier said at the December 15 press conference.

‘We recommend masks, we’ve taken the advice into account, it’s always a balance in terms of the approach the government takes and that’s the decision we’ve made.’

Australia is in the midst of a new wave of Covid cases as Omicron spreads, with Dr Kerry Chant saying yesterday that 80 per cent of cases in NSW were of the more infectious Omicron strain. 

Apart from the more than 5000 cases in NSW, Australia recorded a record 8,210 cases yesterday, with 2,005 in Victoria, 369 in Queensland, 85 in the ACT, 26 in and 10 in the Northern Territory.